Magazines: Comparison of 1960s and contemporary women's magazines

Magazines: Comparison of 1960s and contemporary women’s magazines

Definition and Role of Women’s Magazines

  • Women’s magazines are publications tailored to address, primarily, the interests and concerns of women. They encompass a range of topics including fashion, beauty, health, relationships, cooking and sometimes politics.

Women’s Magazines in the 1960s

  • The content of magazines in the 1960s often revolved around traditional gender roles and expectations for women. Topics such as maintaining a home, beauty and fashion tips, relationship advice, and cooking recipes were prevalent.

  • Women’s magazines would often include short stories or serialised novels, usually romantic or family-oriented in nature, reflecting the tastes and expectations of the time.

  • Advertising in these magazines would typically promote products aligned with these traditional gender roles - household goods, beauty products, kitchen appliances and the like.

Contemporary Women’s Magazines

  • Contemporary women’s magazines have broadened their content to include topics like career advice, health and fitness, travel, and personal development. While beauty, fashion, and relationships continue to be staple topics, there’s now also a focus on empowerment and individuality.

  • Advertising in present-day magazines has evolved in response to the changing content. There is now a greater diversity of adverts including products and services related to technology, finance, travel, fitness and more.

  • Some contemporary women’s magazines now include serious journalism and investigative reports, covering harder-hitting topics like politics, economics, and social issues.

Comparisons: Then and Now

  • Both then and now, women’s magazines reveal societal norms and ideals of the time, reflecting and also shaping perceptions of femininity.

  • A significant progression over the decades has been the shift from a predominantly domestic focus to a more individual and empowerment-oriented perspective in contemporary magazines.

  • The approach to advertising has become more sophisticated and diverse, moving beyond household and beauty products to include technology, travel, and health products, mirroring the expanded interests of women.

  • The shift towards digital and online publication is also crucial, with many contemporary women’s magazines maintaining strong online presences, often supplemented by social media activity.

Impact and Influence of Women’s Magazines

  • Women’s magazines are influential in shaping societal norms and behaviours. They have historically played, and continue to play, a significant role in setting beauty standards, lifestyle ideals, and shaping public discourse on various issues.

Remember, women’s magazines provide valuable insights into social and cultural changes over time. Evolution in their content, advertising, and medium provide a lens to understand shifts in societal attitudes, norms, and expectations of women.